Spring mechanism



Jan. 2, 1934. E. l., BRoNsTlEN 1,941,657

SPRING MECHANISM Filed'May 8, 1951 s sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1934. E. L. BRoNsTlEN SPRING MECHANI SM Filed May 8, 1931 5 sheets-sheet v:2

Jan. 2, 1934. E, L. BRONSTlEN, 1,941,657

SPRING MECHANISM Filed May 8, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 2,

UNITED STATE-s SPRING MECHANISM Edward L. Bronstien,

et. Paul,

Appummn May s, 1931. sei-uu No. 535,925

6'Claims.

The present invention relates to a spring assembling mechanism, and more particularly 'to a device for advancing a helical spring into engagement with a plurality of coil springsfor making a bedspring, or mattress inner-spring construction.

It is not new to secure a plurality of weight supporting springs together by means of a spiral connecting wire advanced into engagement with aligned pairsof weight supporting coil springs by rotating said spiral. In fact, this method of fastening together aligned pairs of coil springs is found in a patent as old as 1889, where Bonnel and Lambing, in Patent No. 405,821, show this general method 'of construction. Various mechanisms have been devised for advancing a spiral connecting wire into engagement with thel end convolutions of a plurality of aligned pairs of supporting springs by rotating the spiral by' means engaging the outer periphery ofthe spiral. Such mechanisms, while operable, are open to certain objections with which those versed in the art are familiar, among which are the diiculty of operatively guiding the helical connecting wire during its advance and the difficulty of controlling the advance of the spiral and reversing the operation of the mechanism.

Anobject of the present invention is to make an improved and simplified mechanism for ad- 3@ vancing a spirally` coiled wire into connecting engagement with a plurality of aligned pairs of supporting springs. j

In order to attain this object, there is provided, in accordance with one feature of the invention,

a plurality of aligned pairs of spring supporting posts and a rotatable spindle adapted .to engage the wire of which a spiral connecting spring is Figure 2 isa view in side elevation of the front a drive motor and spindle removed.. f

Figure 3 is a view similar tof Figure 2 vwith a front row of supporting DOSS droppedto a horizontal position.

. Figure 4 is atop view of a drive mechanism, in

- po'ruon of the mechanism' shown in Figure 1, with an operative position. and a forward corner of the supporting tame with the spring supporting posts port 6 for spring-supporting posts -is securely in operative position thereon, showing the method of feeding a spirally coiled connecting wire into connecting engagement with aligned pairs of springs.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in side elevation. of the forward upper corner of the mechanism with the drive mechanism removed, showing the method of manipulating the forward row of supporting posts. Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, showing the drive mechanism in position thereon, the drive mechanism being shown in raised position in solid lines and in lowered position in dotted lines.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view through 70 one of the spring supporting posts and a channel support member showing the method of locking the supporting post in adjusted position.

Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of a driving mechanism with a rotatable spindle for advancing the spiral connecting wire.

Figure 9 is a viewA in front mechanism shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line'lO-lO of Figure 9.*

Figure 11 is an enlarged view in side elevation elevation of the of magnetically controlled brake mechanism for stoppingthe rotation of the spindle upon shutting oi the electrical current to the driving motor.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view-on the line 12-12 of Figure 6.

Figure 13 is an end view of-the mechanism shown in Figure l0; and

Figure 14 is an enlarged sectional view of a foot 9o controlled switch. operating treadle.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a table 1 is supported upon angle iron legs 2 provided with cross bracing members 3 and 4 to rigidly support the mechanism.- The top of the table is pref- 9!- erably covered with sheet steel to form a smooth surface upon which spring structures to be assembled thereon shall be easily slidable.`

A channeled and longitudinally slottedsupmounted across the forward edge of the tabletop and in:horizontal alignment lwith theltop surface of the table. Thischanneled support Sisconstructed of a pair ofang'lei'ron members-7 and'8, the angle iron member 8 beingbolted to the table, and the angle iron-'1 secured tothe inner angle iron 8 as bymeans of st ripsf19 bolted or riveted to the ends ofthe angle irons.`

A bracket 10 is iixedly connected to; each, 'end of the outer angle ironc'land. to each of these brackets is pivotally connected a second bracket 11 which is connected to a second pair of spaced angle iron members 12 and 13 connected together at their ends to form a second longitudinally slotted channeled support 14 for spring-support posts.

A plurality of spring-support posts 15 are mounted in each of the channeled, slotted members 6 and 14, the preferred construction of the support posts being best illustrated in Figure 7. The posts 15 may be of cast metal or wood and are each provided with an axiallydisposed hole 16 threaded to r ceive a bolt 17 thereon. rlhe bolt 17 is provide with a large square head portion 18 which has a free slidable iit within the channels 6 and 14. The shank of said bolt is freely slidable in the slotted openings oi the channeled members 6 and 14.

A bracket 19 is securely bolted to one of the table legs 2 and a pair of parallel links 26 and 2l are pivotally connected to the bracket 19 and to a drive mechanism support member 22. The drive mechanism support member 22 has a at, horizontallyvdisposed upper portion 23 to which is bolted, as by means of a bolt 27, an angle'member 24.

A drivekmechanism 25 is bolted to the vertically disposed portion of this angle member 24 as by means of a bolt 26. By loosening the bolts 26 and 27 the angular position of the drive mechanism may be adjusted as desired. I

Pivotally connected to the lower link 20 is an operating rod 28, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a lever 29 secured to a shaft 30 which is pivotally mounted in supports 31 and 32. Foot operating pedals 33 and 34 are securely connected to the shaft 30. By depressing the pedal 34 the outer end of the lever 29 will be raised, thereby raising the drive mechanism to the solid line position shown in Figure 6, while by depressing the pedal 33 the outer end of the l the upper end of said spring being connected to the central portion of the upper link 21. The

action of this spring 35 acts to counterbalance j the weight of the drive mechanism 25 and, associated parts.

Also connected to the lever 29 is a rod 36, the

upper end of which is connected to a bracket 37 which is mounted at the point of pivotal connection o a pair of links 38 and 39. One of these links 39 is pivotally connected at its inner end to a leg 2 of the table, while the outer end of the cuter link is pivotally connected to the outer channeled member 14. These links form a toggle joint which is operated simultaneously with the mechanism for lowering and raising the drive mechanism.

When the drive mechanism support member is raised as in Figure 2, the toggle joint formed bythe links 38 and 39 will be straightened, bringing the channeled members 6 and 14 into horizon- "tal alinement,.whi1e when the drive mechanism Loenen? 40 is a spindle 42 which is connected by means of a suitable gear train, not shown, to the drive motor. The gear train connecting the motor to the spindle is preferably changeable for various speeds by means of a gear changing mechanism, operable as by means of a lever 43, see Figure 1. Variable speed gear trains are Well known to the art so it is felt unnecessary to needlessly extend the drawings to show this feature for which no invention is claimed. This change speed mechanism is desirable so that the speed of the machine can be adjusted to conform to the pronciency of the operator.

The end of the spindle 42 extends outwardly beyond the casing and the projecting end portion of the spindle is of small diameter to easily t within the convolutions of the spiral connect-r ing wire which it is intended to drive and is provided with a peripheral groove 44 near its outer end to receive the wire of the connecting spiral therein.

Mounted below the spindle 42 and in alinement with the groove 44 is a wheel 45 preferably of case hardened steel rotatably mounted on a ball bearing 46. A central post 47 of the ball bearing 46 is mounted eccentrically on a disk 48 which in turn is pivotally connected to a support niember 56. This support member 50 is bolted to the housing 40 as by means of a bolt 51 and adjusting screws 52 and 53 are provided to adjust the position of the support member 50 with respect to the spindle 42. The member 48 .is provided with a handle 54 xedly secured thereto and by rotating the member 48, the wheel 45, .which is mounted eccentrically thereon, may be moved toward the spindle 42 to grip the wire of the connecting spiral, or by moving the handle 54 in the opposite direction'the wheel 45 may be moved away from the spindle to release the wire of the connecting spiral. 115

A guide table 55 for the connecting' spiral is mounted on the-housing 40, in a position such that the axial line thereof if extended would pass approximately through the outer end of the spindle 42. This guide tube is of a diameterto're- 120 ceive a connecting spiral for free slidable movement therein. c

A switch 56 for controlling the operation of the reversible motor is mounted on the table 1. Any suitable two-way switch may be used, that 125 shown in the drawings comprising a strip 57 of inf sulative material slidably mounted in a housing 58. An insert 59 of electrically conductive material, such as copper, is securely mounted in the slidable .strip 57 and is `in contact with a contact member 60- mounted in the housing to normally lie above the'insert 59 and a third contact member 621s mounted to normally lie below the insert 59. An operating rod 63 is connected to the lower end of the slidable member 57, the low- 13 5 er end of this rod being connected to an arm 64 connected to a foot operated treadle member 65. This treadle member is pivotally mounted on supports 66. A pair of angle brackets 67 and 68 are connected to the leg 2 of the table, being 140 resiliently heldin position by bolts 69 encircled by coil springs 70 which are held in compression between the heads of the bolts 69 and the angle members 67 and 68. Collars 7l and 72 are secured to the rod 63 below and above the members 145 67 and 68, respectively, being held in adjusted position by set screws 73. The collars 71 and 72 are adjusted so as to normally hold the slidable member 57 in neutral position, as shown in Figure 15.

Upon depressing the rear portion of the treadlc member 65, the arm 64 will be lowered, moving the slide 5'1 downward and bringing the insert 59 over the contact member 62 to operate the motor 41 in one direction. Upon depressing the front portion of the treadle 65 the arm 64 will be mo'. ed upward to bring the insert 59 in contact with the contact member 61 to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor. In the neutral position the motor will remain unoperated.

It is desirable to have the spindle 42 stop rotating as soon as possible after shutting^oi the drive current, vand to this end a magnetically controlled brake may be employed. One form of such'a brake is illustrated in Figure 11.

A drum 74 or collar is securely mounted on the spindle 42. A brake shoe '15 is mounted on an amature '16 which is normally held to bring the shoe '15 into engagement with the collar 74 by means of a coilspring '1G-a. An electro-magnet '17 is mounted adjacent the armature and is connected in series or parallel with the motor circuit so as'to be energized by the turning on of the motor drive current and to be de-energized byl the shutting off of said motor drivecurrent. It is apparent that upon energizing the electromagnet the armature will be drawn toward the core of saidmagnet, releasing the brake shoe '15, and uponde-energizing said magnet the armature will be released, .whereupon the spring '1G-a will force the shoe 75 into braking engagement with the collar '14. Such a brake prevents overrunning of the spiral when the current-is shut on.4

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

The spring-supporting posts 15 are adjusted in pairs, spaced apart a required distance and irmly secured in adjusted position by screwing the membersv 15 tightly onto the bolts 1'1 to firmly grip the angle members. which form the channels 6A and 14.

The pedal 33 is depressed to lower the drive mechanism and to drop the outer channel member to the position shown in Figure 3. Coil springs '18 are then mounted, one over each of the springsupporting posts 15.- The channel members 8 and 14 are constructed so that. the edges of the lower convolutions of vthe pairs -of springs 18, supported thereon, will lie Iadjacent one another with the parts in this position.

A spiral connecting wire '19 is then inserted in the tube 55 and the. wire of the spiral is inserted between the groove 44 vin the spindle' 42, and the periphery-of the wheel 45. The wheel 45 is dropped by means of the handle 54 to permit inserting the wire of the spiral between the spindle 42 and the wheel 45. The handle 54 is then swung to raise the wheel 45 into gripping engagement with the wire of the spiral '19.

The drive mechanism should be adjusted by the operator, ii necessary, to have the tube 55 positioned with its axial line in alinement with the adjoining portions of the lower convolutions o! the springs '18. This may be readily accomplished by loosening the bolts 26 and 2'1, sighting throughof springs mounted on the posts 15. -Should thespiral improperly engage any of` the convolutions oiy the springs 18, the motor may be reversed by ment with the adjoining portions of the upper tilting the treadle 65 in the opposite direction to. retract the spiral a'required distance.

After theldwer spiral '19 is run in the entire distance to engage the adjacent convolutions of all of the-pairs of springs '18, the pedal 34 is depressed to raise the drive mechanism and the channel member 14 to the position shown in Figure 2. The amount of rise of the drive mechanism is constructed to be the-same as the height of the coil springs 78, so that with the parts in the raised position shown 'in Figure 2, the springs 78 will be axially parallel to each other and their' upper convolutions will be in contact with each other. The tube 55 will also have its axis in alineconvolutions oi.' the springs'78. A

A second spiral '19 may then be inserted in the tube 55 and gripped between the spindle 42 and the wheel 45, as described above for the lower spiral. The drive-motorv may then be operated to rotate the spindle 42 and advance the spiral into connecting engagement with the adjoining portions of the upper convolutions of the springs '18. o

The double row of springs r18, now connected b'y means of the spirals '19 at their upper and' lower convolutions, may now be lifted bodily from the posts 15..and the row of springs '18 formerly on the forward row of posts supported on the channel 14 are moved onto the rear row of posts 105 15 supported on the channel 6. Additional loose springs '18 are then placed on the front row of posts 15 and the drive mechanism 25 and forward channel member 14 are dropped to the position shown in Figure 3.

Spiral connecting members are similarly advanced into connecting engagement with the ad- Ajacent portions of the lower and upper convolutions of these springs and additional rows of springs can be added byrepeating the above described process until a spring assembly ofa desired length is completed.

'Ihe vmechanism is simple and positive in operation, the wire of the spiral is firmly gripped by the driving mechanism, and the driving of the spiral is under full control of the operator at all times. The adjustable mounting of the posts permits the springs tobe spaced laterally as desired and the dropping of the front row of posts to a horizontal position, while inserting the lower spiral expom the adjoining portions of the lower convolutions oi the operator.

It was formerly necessary to insert the top spiral, then turn the entire spring assembly over so as to bring what was formerly the bottom of 13o the wire of one of the springs 78 the spiral may be displaced and fail to properly engage the adjoining convolutions of the springs '18.

I claimtv 1. A spring assembling mechanism, comprising aligned spring positioning means, a feed device for a spiral connecting wire, saidfeed device com prising a guide member positioned to direct a spiral connecting wire supported therein toward A said spring pomtioning means, a rotatable spindle adapted to be inserted interiorly or said spiral and an oppositely rotatable member mounted adjacent said spindle and adapted to grip the wireof said spiral between said spindle and'said rotatable member.

2. In a spring assembling mechanism, a Weaving mechanism comprising a rotatable spindle adapted to have an end thereof inserted interiorly of a spiral, an oppositely rotatable member mounted adjacent said spindle and adapted to grip the wire of said spiral between said spindle and said rotatable member, and means for rotating said spindle and said rotatable member to simultaneously rotate and advance said spiral.

3. In a spring assembling mechanism, a rotatable spindle an oppositely rotatable member mounted adjacent said spindle and having its axis of rotation parallel with the axis of said spindle, said spindle and said'rotatable member being relatively movable in a plane at right angles to the axes of rotation thereof to grip a strand of a helical therebetween to rotate and advance said helical upon a rotation of said spindle and said rotatable member.

4. In a spring assembling mechanism, a guide member adapted to receive a helical, a rotatable spindle mounted at an acute angle with respect to said guide means, said spindle having an end thereof adapted to enter said spiral between adjacent convolutions thereof, a rotatable member mounted with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to that of said spindle and spaced from said spindle a distance sucient to grip the wire of said helical between said spindle and said rotatable mechanism.

5. A mechanism for simultaneously rotating and advancing a spiral, comprising rotatable means having an end thereof adapted to be inserted within said spiral to engage an inner surface thereof, and an oppositely rotatable member mounted adjacent said rst rotatable member and adapted to engage an outer surface of said spiral to grip the wire of said spiral between said rotatable members.

6. In a spring assembling mechanism, a frame, a pair of rows of aligned spring holding means carried by said frame, said rows being spaced apart to position springs supported on said spring holding means with their upper and lower convolutions laterally contiguous to each other, a spiral-rotating mechanism mounted on a side of said frame, said spiral rotating mechanism having a spindle adapted to be inserted interiorly of a spiral to be rotated thereby and an oppositely rotatable member mountedadjacent said spindle to frictionally grip a strand of said spiral to rotatably advance said spiral into securing engagement with springs mounted on said spring-- holding means.

EDWARD L. BRONSTIEN. 

